Nancy Kay Compton

Nancy Kay Compton, 64



Kay Compton, age 64, passed away on Sunday, February 1st, 2026. Kay Compton was a loving mother, grandmother, wife, sister, friend, and nurse. She was born May 7, 1961, in Cedar Grove, North Carolina, and passed away at home in Whitefish, Montana, on February 1, 2026.

Kay grew up in Cedar Grove, where she enjoyed her childhood on the tobacco farm that has been in her family since 1888. She graduated from Orange County High School in 1979 and went on to pursue a career in healthcare at Watts School of Nursing in Durham, North Carolina (NC), earning her Registered Nurse diploma in 1982. She continued her education at East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville from 1982 to 1986.

While attending ECU, Kay met Gary Owen. They married on November 22, 1986, and moved to Winston-Salem, NC, where Kay worked at Baptist Hospital. In 1992, they moved to Great Falls, Montana, where Kay began a new nursing position and welcomed their daughter, Allison Gray Owen, on July 17, 1992, followed by their son, Graham Holland Owen, on February 17, 1995. Kay and Gary built a home outside of Great Falls, where they raised their children, enjoyed the outdoors with their pets, and cheered Allison and Graham on in their sports activities. After 24 years, she ended her chapter with Gary and purchased a bungalow in Great Falls, where she turned a new leaf.

In 2013, Kay met Scott Senger at Big Sky Resort. She later moved to Whitefish to join him, and together they built a home. She continued her nursing career, working in the operating rooms at local hospitals in Whitefish and Kalispell. Kay and Scott married on June 27, 2015, at First Presbyterian Church in Whitefish, and honeymooned in San Francisco and San Diego.

Kay was particularly proud of her children. Allison earned her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Montana, relocated to Washington state with her partner and dog, and continues to build community in Seattle. Graham moved to Bozeman, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Montana State University, and is now cultivating his place in the local music scene.

Kay's positive outlook on life, infectious laughter and smile, and southern accent were ever-present. She loved reading, yoga, and chats with her sister, Gail, and her childhood best friends, Donna Parker Davis and Dawn Lloyd. She cherished traveling to see her friends and family, cooking for loved ones, and baking cookies with her grandchildren. Kay was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church and was especially honored to see her first grandchild, Audrey, baptized there.

Together, Kay and Scott enjoyed the outdoors - skiing, hiking, kayaking, and more. Sharing a love for adventure, they traveled to Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Colombia, where Allison was married. In their travel trailer, they explored the Oregon Coast, Utah, and many Montana state parks. Kay and Scott were always there to support their grandchildren in sports at the fields near their home.

Kay was proud of her volunteer work at the local food bank and of assisting with surgical care for underserved children during a 2020 medical mission trip to the Marshall Islands. She retired happily in 2023 and spent the following years with family and friends, traveling, volunteering, and guest teaching in the Whitefish School District.

Kay was preceded in death by her parents, Koy Compton Jr. and Nancy Gray Compton. She is survived by her loving husband, Scott Senger; her son, Graham Owen; her daughter, Allison Owen, and Allison's wife, Laura Vergara; her stepdaughter, Kate; and grandchildren, Audrey (13), Preston (9), and Nola (6); her sister, Gail Boyd, and her husband Ken Boyd; her brother, Vaughn Compton, and his wife Marcia Compton; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

It was Kay's wish to be cremated, and a celebration of life will be held later this summer at a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to the Alpine Theater Company, where she enjoyed watching her grandchildren participate in numerous plays. Please visit the following site to contribute: kutt.it/HonoringKayCompton